Just visualise it: This is a petrol-exploding, collaterally-damaging, bullet-spurting take on the legendary hardcore profession of... writing traffic tickets.note And this is about as "hardcore" as it gets on German motorways.

A Guilty Pleasure that combines the dead-serious tone and high production values of the CSI franchise with car stunts worthy of Michael Bay or The Dukes of Hazzard. Nearly every episode has at least two or three frenzied chase sequences and at least one multi-car pileup. It's said that the producer had it added to his contract that he could make at least one pileup and ensuing explosions in each episode.

During Germany's version of Cash for Clunkers, this show was happy to help you, deliberately paying you for your car so that you could later see it being blown up or crashed spectacularly.

In a case of Cool Special Guestcar, one episode ("Freundschaft") featured the Maybach Exelero.

Dead Star Walking: Rainer Strecker as Ingo Fischer, one of the first two detectives. Strecker left the series after just two episodes, being replaced by Erdoğan Atalay's long-running Semir Gerkhan.

Demoted to Extra: Andrea, after she married Semir; she reappers only occasionally as a guest star.

Domestic Abuse: Featured in episodes such as "Zivilcourage" and "Hasen und Igel;" Laura in "Lauras Entscheidung" arranged her disappearance to escape this.

Double-Meaning Title: "Alte Schule" ("Old School"). Semir investigates the murder of one of the teachers from his old high school; because his usual partner (Chris Ritter) is in the hospital, he's paired up with an older officer (Diether Bonrath) who does things the "old school" way.

Averted, different brands are used. And to take it literally, the main characters' cars are not Fords, even though they work for the cops in the city where Ford of Germany is based.

Played straight when BMW sponsored many cars. Aside the 3 series, BMW showcased several brand new cars and bikes in episodes. Examples are the BMW X1 in "Das Ende der Welt", the BMW 5 series in "Lackschäden" and the BMW X5 in "Tote kehren nicht zurück".

Every Car Is a Pinto: And so is every truck, bus, trolley, railroad car, and building in the Federal Republic of Germany. Who knew Mercedes-Benzes blow up that easily?

Fair Cop: Andrea Schäfer, Petra Schubert, Susanne König, and Susanna von Landitz from "Team 2" are all young and attractive.

Just Keep Driving: Almost in every episode the main characters overtake several cars while shooting at the bad guys or doing other dangerous stuff. But when the hell breaks loose and everyone crashes, cars that were overtaken before also crash into the pileup, which makes one wonder, why didn't they stop when they saw someone shooting?

Lampshade Hanging: In nearly every episode, at least one Dienstwagen (official vehicle)—usually Semir's 3-series BMW or his partner's E-Class Mercedes—is demolished. In later seasons, the show has begun lampshading this:

In the episode "Im Aus," the new Chefin (precinct captain), on her first meeting with Semir, berates him for wrecking so many Dienstwagen.

In an Affectionate Parody of CSI and other criminal shows, made by the same program, Semir and his partner are seen at a fast food stand with Semir announcing "Hey, this is the first time we didn't wreck our car!". Cue the movies Chase Scene to happen right there and subsequently, crashing into their car.

There's a promo in which Semir calls the Chefin to request a new Dienstwagen. Hilarity Ensues.

Law of Conservation of Detail: If there's a car pulling a trailer and a tanker truck with hazmat placards in an Establishing Shot of the Autobahn: There will be a crash, a vehicle will crash through the trailer, and the tanker truck will explode.

Licensed Game: Several video games based on the series have been made, under the name "Crash Time."

Meaningful Background Event: In any in-the-car scene where the camera is looking at Semir and his partner through the windshield, watch the traffic in the rear window. You'll often see a plot development coming up behind them.

There's No Kill Like Overkill: The first big action sequence in "Auf eigne Faust." A police convoy carrying a key witness to the courthouse is shot up by associates of the organized crime boss on trial—using attack helicopters.

Under the Truck: Often done during pursuits. All the more impressive is that it's often done with a car.

Up to 11: The first big action sequence in "Auf eigne Faust." A police convoy carrying a key witness to the courthouse is shot up by associates of the organized crime boss on trial—using attack helicopters.

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